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西方生燥The western quarter gives rise to dryness燥生金，Dryness gives rise to metal金生辛，Metal gives rise to the acrid(pungent) taste辛生肺，The acrid taste gives rise to the lung肺生皮毛，The lung gives rise to the skin and body hair皮毛生腎，The skin and body hair gives rise to the kidneys肺主鼻。The lung masters the nose.

其在天為燥，In heaven it is dryness在地為金，On Earth it is metal在體為皮毛，Among parts of the body it is the skin and body hair在藏為肺，Among the 'zang' it is the lung在色為白，Among the colours it is white在音為商，Among the notes is is 'shang'在聲為哭，Among the sounds it is sobbing在變動為欬，Among movements which react to change it is to cough在竅為鼻，Among the orifices it is the nose在味為辛，Among the tastes it is acrid在志為憂。Among the expressions of willpower it is grief憂傷肺，Grief injures the lung喜勝憂；Joyful excitement prevails over grief.

Taken from chapter five of the Su Wen, the most important Chinese medical classic. This simple text is describing the resonances of the metal phase, one of which is the season of autumn.

There is a strong link here made between the emotion of grief and sorrow with the power of the lung. When someone is struck with sorrow the voice loses its strength as if they can't breath anymore, they literally sound as if they are choking. The autumn is the time to let go of the year just as the trees are letting go of their leaves. If you do not let go and move on with your life you will be stuck in grief beyond the autumn months and this is against nature, illness (like a bad cough) may well manifest in the winter.

He he, sorry Hobbes, but with your inspiring seasonal picture I couldn't help but chime in with some Chinese five phase 五行 mutterings!

Well, that comment is useful. I'm finding some melancholy in the passing of the last few months now. Things are changing in my life and I feel like I don't want to let go. I'm mindful of it and am going to release this past summer. --Teaternity